Updated: Al Jazeera on lese majeste

15062012

PPT hasn’t watched the whole story yet. However, we felt that readers would want to see this Al Jazeera documentary. It is about 25 minutes and interviews a few persons of considerable interest, not least interviews with lese majeste ideologues like the remarkably dopey Tul Sitthisomwong and academic toady for the military and royalists, Panitan Wattanayagorn. The blurb states:

The case of Ampon Tangnoppakul, 61, who was sentenced to 20 years in jail for sending 4 text messages deemed offensive to the Thai royal family has reignited debate over the country’s strict lese majeste law. On May 8, Ampon died of liver cancer in prison, still claiming he was innocent of all charges. 101 East explores Thailand’s lese majeste law and asks just who it really protects.